Final Report APRIL 21, 2004

REVIEW OF THE RTD FASTRACKS PLAN Final Report APRIL 21, 2004

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REVIEW OF THE RTD FASTRACKS PLAN Final Report Denver Regional Council of Governments 4500 Cherry Creek South Drive, Suite 800 Denver, Colorado 80246

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ABSTRACT TITLE: AUTHOR: SUBJECT: Review of the RTD FasTracks Plan Denver Regional Council of Governments Senate Bill 90-208 Review of the Regional Transportation District s FasTracks Plan DATE: April 21, 2004 SOURCE OF COPIES: Public Information and Communications DRCOG 4500 Cherry Creek South Drive, Suite 800 Denver, Colorado 80246 (303) 455-1000 NUMBER OF PAGES: 84 ABSTRACT: A review of the FasTracks Plan submitted to DRCOG for approval pursuant to Senate Bill 90-208. iii

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TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY...... 1 I. INTRODUCTION... 5 II. THE FASTRACKS PLAN... 7 Summary... 12 III. CONSISTENCY WITH METRO VISION PLAN... 13 Metro Vision... 13 Extent of Development... 13 Urban Forms... 17 Multimodal Transportation... 18 Summary... 19 IV. TRAVEL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS... 21 Corridor Effects... 21 Regional Travel Effects... 23 Accessibility... 24 Environmental... 26 Summary... 27 V. RAPID TRANSIT TECHNOLOGY... 29 Appropriateness of Corridor Technology... 29 Stations and Station Spacing... 30 Operations... 31 Fleet Size... 35 Maintenance Facilities... 35 Summary... 35 VI. BUS SERVICES AND CONNECTIONS... 37 Bus System... 37 Intermodal Connections... 37 Parking... 38 Summary... 39 v

TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont.) VII. FINANCIAL... 41 Costs... 41 Revenue... 46 Financial Plan... 49 Summary... 52 VIII. IMPLEMENTATION... 53 Rights-of-Way Availability... 53 Availability of Railroad Tracks for Shared Operations... 57 Partner Agency Funding... 57 Impact of Delays to Another Component... 58 Other Issues... 58 Summary... 59 APPENDIX A SENATE BILL 208 PROCESS AND CRITERIA... 61 APPENDIX B PUBLIC HEARING SUMMARY... 71 APPENDIX C RTD FasTracks Documentation... 77 APPENDIX D LIST OF ACRONYMS... 81 vi

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Proposed FasTracks Rapid Transit Corridors and Stations... 8 Figure 2 FasTracks Relationship to Urban Growth Boundary and Urban Forms... 15 Figure 3 FasTracks 2025 Horizon Year Rail Operations Plan Peak Hour Capacities... 32 Figure 4 Revised Financially Constrained Implementation Schedule... 54 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 FasTracks Capital Cost Characteristics... 9 Table 2 FasTracks Mobility Measures by Corridor in 2025*... 21 Table 3 2025 Peak Drive-Alone Automobile Operating Speeds... 22 Table 4 Projected 2025 Corridor Ridership... 22 Table 5 Transit Percent Share of All Trips by Corridor... 23 Table 6 2002 Boardings Per Person Per Year... 24 Table 7 Low Income or Minority Persons in 2000 Living Within One Mile of FasTracks New or Expanded Transit Stations... 25 Table 8 Number of Jobs Within a 45-Minute Transit Trip in 2025... 25 Table 9 Change in 2025 Air Pollution Emissions With FasTracks... 26 Table 10 FasTracks Rail Station Spacing... 31 Table 11 FasTracks Corridor Capacity and Year 2025 Maximum Line Loads. 33 Table 12 Rail Passenger Cars... 33 Table 13 RTD System Capital Costs... 41 Table 14 FasTracks Finance Table Revised Revenue Scenario... 42 Table 15 RTD System Operating Costs... 42 Table 16 2025 Cost Per Rider and Cost Per Passenger Mile... 43 Table 17 RTD FasTracks Risk Assessment Components... 45 Table 18 RTD System and New FasTracks Program Revenues... 46 Table 19 FasTracks Capital Program Revenues... 47 Table 20 Financial Scenarios for SB-208 Analysis... 50 Table 21 FasTracks Right-of-Way Needs... 55 vii

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REVIEW OF THE RTD FASTRACKS PLAN SUMMARY The FasTracks Plan is an ambitious effort to construct rapid transit in nine corridors of the region along with other associated improvements by 2017. The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is required by state statute to approve any action leading to the construction of a fixed guideway system. This action must include the approval of the method of financing and technology. Each corridor must be approved separately. To fully evaluate the Plan, the DRCOG Board of Directors adopted a set of criteria, which, in addition to finance and technology, includes consistency with the Metro Vision Plan, environmental, and other pertinent factors. The FasTracks Plan To initiate the evaluation, attention was given to defining the scope of the improvements to be undertaken. The improvements in each corridor are summarized in Table 1 of the report. These improvements, and the selection of a technology are subject to change based on the results of environmental and other studies to be undertaken in the future in eight of the corridors. Though Bus Rapid Transit is the ultimate desired technology in the US-36 Corridor, the construction of the bus/hov lanes is not included in the FasTracks Plan. Access improvements to park-n-ride stations, pedestrian bridges, funding for centerline stations and partial funding for bus lanes are included in the Plan as steps toward the implementation of BRT. Consistency With the Metro Vision Plan FasTracks solidly supports the region s Metro Vision Plan and is consistent with many of the conceptual corridors contained therein. Metro Vision calls for the development of higher density centers within the metropolitan area which will help to accommodate the one million additional residents of the region and thereby reduce the need to expand costly infrastructure beyond the region s established growth boundaries. Rapid transit can be a major stimulus to the development of higher density urban forms along the lines. FasTracks will serve many of these developments planned by local governments. With careful planning, stations that will be constructed at the perimeters of the urban growth boundary/area should not significantly impact the extent of regional development. As FasTracks will be constructed in or adjacent to highway right-of-way in a number of corridors, careful coordination between the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), local governments, and the Regional Transportation District (RTD) will need to occur to efficiently provide for all modes of transportation. The recent Master Intergovernmental Agreement between CDOT and RTD, expected to be executed shortly, provides a process for this to occur. 1

Travel and Environmental Effects FasTracks will provide travel time, accessibility, and environmental improvements. With FasTracks, by 2025, peak hour travel in the rapid transit corridors will be much faster by transit than by automobile. Employment accessibility will be improved for all residents of the region. Accessibility for low-income and minority persons will be significantly improved. Changes in air quality will result from the impact on transportation. FasTracks will decrease carbon monoxide and particulates, but nitrogen oxide emissions are likely to increase slightly. Rapid Transit Technology Both commuter rail and light rail transit (LRT) are technologies that can provide a faster trip than the private automobile. To gain the highest operating efficiency from these modes, station spacing needs to be carefully considered. Commuter rail is an appropriate technology in the US-36 and East Corridors. While commuter rail can be operated in the North Corridor, the shorter station spacing will reduce the operating efficiency of commuter rail in that corridor. Light rail transit is appropriate for the other corridors given the short station spacing. The short section of the light rail lines south of the Denver Central Business District, where 2.5-minute headways are proposed, will present an operational challenge. Should ridership of the light rail lines increase above the low end of the ridership estimates, additional light rail vehicles would be needed. Bus service and facility improvements will be made in the US-36 Corridor until such time as Bus Rapid Transit can be implemented. Bus Service and Connections To accompany the rapid transit construction, FasTracks proposes to increase bus service by 1 to 1.5 percent annually through 2025. Bus feeder service to rapid transit lines will be increased and suburb-to-suburb service will be improved through a reconfigured grid bus route system and a number of timed transfer points called FastConnects. The challenge will be to maintain the timed transfers given increasing traffic congestion on the region s streets and highways. Based on past experience with the Southwest LRT line, RTD will provide additional parking spaces at park-n-ride lots. The number of spaces provided exceeds the parking demand identified through the modeling process. Financial A cost analysis by transit experts, CDOT, RTD and DRCOG staffs indicate that the $4.7 billion in capital costs is a reasonable estimate for this stage of the planning and implementation process. A major assumption in the costing is that CDOT and local government right-of-way will be made available without cost. Because the corridor improvements have yet to be designed, and, in all corridors except the West, environmental studies will be conducted which could result in changes in scope as well as cost, RTD has included contingency costs in its cost estimates. The cost of financing 2

the Plan is expected to be $3.3 billion through 2048. Additional operating costs are expected to be $1.5 billion for the rapid transit system through 2025. To fund FasTracks, RTD has identified a number of funding sources. The principal funding source will be a 0.4 percent increase in the sales tax. Other sources include farebox revenues, the receipt of $815 million in discretionary funding from the Federal Transit Administration, the receipt of $60 million in federal funding awarded by DRCOG from funds that it regularly receives, and local government contributions of 2.5 percent of the total corridor costs. The principal financing vehicles will be bonding, use of certificates of participation, and a Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loan from the federal government. At the request of DRCOG, AECom Consultants performed a review of the RTD financing plan. This firm has considerable experience in reviewing the financing plans of many transit properties across the country for the Federal Transit Administration. AECom found that the FasTracks financing plan is sound and can be accomplished with reasonable certainty assuming the cost estimates and voter approval of the tax increase and TABOR exemptions. By 2025, after construction of the FasTracks Plan, AECom estimates that RTD will have a balance of $853 million that could be used for earlier retirement of the debt. Implementation The construction of a multi-corridor transit system over a period of 12 years presents numerous implementation challenges. Rights-of-way and lease agreements need to be secured from the railroads. Rights-of-way need to be acquired from the state and local governments. The outcome of federal environmental studies in all but the West corridor 1 could affect the scope and cost of construction. Federal discretionary funding needs to be secured. Substantial efforts have been made to address these uncertainties. Contingency costs have been included in corridor cost estimates. CDOT and RTD have developed a Master Intergovernmental Agreement that provides a process to make state highway rights-of-way available for FasTracks 2. RTD has adopted a policy Regarding Board Commitments for FasTracks that calls for right-of-way agreements to be in place, as well as all corridor funding sources, before corridor construction is initiated. Should assumed federal discretionary funding not be provided to the level expected, a delay in the construction program would appear to be likely to provide sufficient time to generate the necessary additional sales tax revenue. 1 Environmental studies have just been completed in the West Corridor. 2 The agreement is expected to be executed shortly. 3

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I. INTRODUCTION The Regional Transportation District s (RTD) FasTracks Plan proposes to construct various modes of fixed guideway mass transit in nine corridors of the Denver region between 2005 and 2017. Before RTD can implement this plan, state statute requires that the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), must approve the system and corridors within the transit system. Specifically: The (RTD) Board shall take no action relating to the construction of a regional fixed guideway mass transit system until such system has been approved by the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization. Each component part or corridor of such system shall be separately approved by the Metropolitan Planning Organization. Such action shall include approval of the method of financing and the technology selected for such projects. [32-9-107.7 CRS] RTD submitted its FasTracks Plan to DRCOG for approval pursuant to state statute. To evaluate the FasTracks Plan, the DRCOG Board of Directors adopted a process and set of criteria (see Appendix A). These criteria were used as the basis for the evaluation presented in this report. The evaluation is focused on the 2025 Regional Transportation Plan horizon year, since the anticipated FasTracks completion year (2017) is relatively close to the plan horizon year. A consultant was retained to assist DRCOG in reviewing the financial aspects of the proposal. The consultant s review is documented in a separate report, Financial Assessment of the Denver RTD FasTracks Program, March 2004. In addition, experts from other transit systems were convened in Denver to review the costing methodology. To ensure that the evaluation considered the concerns of the public, a public hearing was held on January 21, 2004 to receive comments regarding items that should be considered in the evaluation of the FasTracks proposal. A summary of the public hearing is attached in Appendix B. Concerns or issues raised in these comments were considered and addressed as part of the report discussion. This report summarizes DRCOG s review of the RTD FasTracks Plan, as submitted on November 29, 2003, and revised in February 2004. Documentation submitted, as well as other documents used in this review, are listed in Appendix C. 5

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II. THE FASTRACKS PLAN The FasTracks Plan calls for fixed-guideway transit improvements in nine corridors at a capital cost of $4.7 billion. Bonds will be issued to fund a portion of the cost. The cost of financing the capital cost is $3.3 billion through 2048. Rapid Transit service expansion operating costs are expected to be $1.5 billion. Construction is expected to begin in 2008 and be completed by 2017. Improvements proposed to be constructed for each of the nine corridors are displayed in Figure 1 and presented in Table 1. It is important to note that, where federal funding is used or a federal action is required, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be required. A draft Environmental Impact Statement has recently been completed for the West Corridor. RTD has indicated that Environmental Impact Statements will be conducted for all the remaining corridors. The environmental process could result in changes to the scope of the improvements as well as the costs. Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Bus rapid transit (BRT) refers to an upgraded bus system that typically uses an exclusive right-of-way and includes on-line stations. To move toward BRT, the FasTracks Plan provides for the construction of slip-ramps and access improvements to existing park-n-rides from Boulder to Denver, as well as 1,433 new parking spaces at three park-n-rides. This will improve the operation of buses that travel in mixed traffic along US-36. As a future second phase, RTD hopes to implement BRT operating in exclusive lanes in the US-36 median with center loading stations. Other high occupancy vehicles (HOV) may also use these lanes. However, funding for the complete construction of the BRT facility is not included in the FasTracks Plan. FasTracks will provide funding for five median BRT stations, and $66 million toward the construction of the BRT/HOV lanes. The $66 million is approximately one-fourth of the estimated cost of constructing BRT lanes in the corridor. FasTracks assumes that the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will provide the remainder of the funds, about $200 million. CDOT has not yet committed to providing this funding. Commuter Rail Corridors Commuter rail refers to passenger train service between a central city and outlying suburban or stand-alone communities. For the three commuter rail corridors, FasTracks proposes to use existing railroad rights-of-way or to purchase land adjacent to existing rail operations. Existing rail tracks could also be leased for RTD operations. The specific technology has yet to be determined. Either conventional commuter rail (locomotive-hauled coaches) or diesel 7

Table 1 FasTracks Capital Cost Characteristics Stations Station Parking Spaces PNRs (Spaces) At-Grade Length (Miles) ROW Corridor Mode Track and Facilities (stations and PNRs in separate columns) ROW Operations New Lengthen New Spaces Expand New Expand Crossings 1 Existing New 2002$ 2002$ Inflated Ramps from/to US-36. 3 (1,433) $0.4 $30.7 $36.9 US-36 Bus Phase I: Construct slip ramps at 3 PRNs, pedestrian bridges over/under US-36 at 3 stations, close the existing Church Ranch/Mandalay PNR when the new PNR is constructed, and enhanced bus superstops on 28th Street. Use CDOT (US-36); purchase private ROW for PNR expansion. Rapid Transit Non Rapid Transit Millions of Dollars Capital Costs 2 HOV/BRT Phase II: When/if CDOT implements HOV lanes in US-36, RTD contribute $66 M for HOV lanes and $8 M for bicycle path. Commuter Rail Partially reconstruct existing BNSF track from DUS to Longmont (Hover Road), build second track from DUS to Boulder (Pearl); construct new grade separations at Utah Junction, 72nd, Lowell, Bradburn, 80th, 88th, S. Boulder Rd and 2 between Boulder and Longmont. North Metro Commuter Rail Build new double track from DUS to Sand Creek parallel to existing freight track; reconstruct existing track from Sand Creek to 160th (SH-7); build a second track from Sand Creek to 124th; and close existing Commerce City PNR when new PNR is constructed at rail station (net increase in 17 parking spaces); and construct new grade separations at stock show, Race, York, I-76, 74th, 88th, 104th, 120th and E-470. Also in the northeast quadrant: purchase ROW options in northeast (US-85/I-76) corridor. East Corridor Commuter Rail Build new double tracks; construct grade separations at Broadway, 38th, Denver Market lead RR, 2 freight flyovers for freight customer access track, Quebec, Peoria, Chambers, I- 70/Airport Blvd/UPRR, 48th, 56th, Tower, E-470, Pena Blvd and DIA approach; DIA funding station at DIA (in count), close existing Stapleton PNR when new PNR is constructed with rail station (net decrease in 269 parking spaces at Stapleton) I-225 Corridor LRT Build new double tracks; build I-225 median flyout south of Iliff to the Iliff Station and a flyin north of Iliff, and final median flyout at Exposition; and build grade spearations at Iliff, Ellsworth, 2nd Avenue, 6th Avenue & I-225. SE Extension & Upgrades SW Extension & Upgrades LRT Extension: Build new double track and build grade separations at Lincoln, through Sky Ridge Medical, I-25, and Ridge Gate Parkway. Upgrades: Build pedestrian enhancements at Belleview and Arapahoe stations. LRT Build new double track, grade separations at Mineral, County Line, BNSF/UP, C-470 and Bowen and acquire land for future station at C-470/Santa Fe Drive. West Corridor LRT Build new double track from DUS to Jefferson County Government Center; build grade separation at US-6 (east of Union), Federal, Sheridan, Wadsworth, Kipling, Indiana and I- 70; build tunnel under US-6 (west of Union); lease 2,000 spaces from Invesco Field and close existing Federal Center PNR when new PNR is constructed at rail station for a net increase of 354 parking spaces. Gold Line LRT Build new double tracks; build grade separations at consolidated mainline, South Platte Central Corridor Extension and Upgrades River, I-25 (under), 38th, 48th (I-70 to 52nd), UP north yards tracks and office, Federal, 2 industrial flyovers, Wadsworth Bypass, Kipling and Ward. LRT Build new double track from 30th/Downing to 40th/40th; install new downtown circulator (not defined); build partial grade separation at 13th; install CBD signal software; and build second pair of tracks from Broadway station to Alameda Station and from 10th/Osage Station to Colfax (CPV/CBD split). Keeps single track on Welton from CBD to Downing. Use CDOT (US-36) median ROW. Median US-36. 5 18.0 $0.0 $147.9 $189.4 Lease BNSF railroad ROW and purchase private ROW for stations and PNR. Purchase BNSF and UP railroad ROW; purchase private ROW for stations and PNR expansion. Purchase UP railroad ROW; Use Denver Pena Blvd and DIA ROW; may purchase private ROW for section from Smith Rd to Pena Blvd and for stations & PNRs. Use CDOT I-225 ROW; use Aurora (Abilene Street, Montview Blvd and Peoria Street) ROW; use RTD ROW (already acquired); purchase some private ROW. Use mostly developer donated ROW (pending) and purchase private ROW. Use existing RTD ROW; use railroad ROW (already use agreement); use CDOT C-470 ROW, use Englewood ROW and purchase private ROW. Use RTD ROW (already acquired); use CDOT US-6 ROW; use Denver 12th Street ROW; use Lakewood 13th Street ROW; and purchase private ROW for stations. Purchase BNSF railroad ROW & maybe purchase additional private land. Use Denver Downing ROW and purchase some private ROW. Shared BNSF tracks w/6 freight trains/day. Shared BNSF railroad ROW from DUS to Sand Creek; shared UP railroad (Boulder Branch/Dent Line) tracks from Sand Creek to 160th Avenue. Shared ROW (railroads and Pena Blvd). Median I-225, city streets, Separate ROW. 8 4 8 2,960 34 38.1 $4.1 $415.6 $565.1 8 7 3,000 17 2 (750) 1 (58) 16 18.0 $41.8 $317.9 $435.3 6 3,4 3 2,450 1 (-1,769) 21 23.6 $85.6 $554.2 $702.1 7 3 3 1,250 13 10.5 $40.4 $321.1 $442.3 Separate ROW. 3 4 1 2,000 520 0 19.1 2.3 $0.2 $130.4 $183.0 Separate ROW, shared ROW with C-470. Separate ROW, US-6 ROW and city streets. Shared ROW & maybe some separate ROW if BNSF double tracks existing line, but not shared tracks. 2 5 1 1,000 440 0 8.7 2.5 $6.5 $115.1 $164.1 11 5 5,700 1 (-646) 21 12.1 $35.8 $424.2 $508.2 7 3 1,650 400 18 11.2 $27.4 $335.5 $463.5 Separate ROW/City street. 2 3,4 6 12 7.1 0.8 $10.0 $81.8 $118.4 Denver Union Station (DUS) Maintenance Facilities LRT, commuter rail & bus LRT, commuter rail & bus Other Items Commuter Rail & other Relocate LRT underground, at station along 16th Street, 18th Street and the Consolidated mainline; construct commuter rail at-grade and mall shuttle turn-around; build foundation for future construction and connection to existing historic station; provide connections to regional bus; and provide for internal pedestrian circulation. New facilities with buildings and vehicle storage areas - one for LRT, one for commuter rail, and one for bus. Build grade separation of 23rd and the Consolidated mainline for both the Gold Line LRT and US-36 Rail; Transit ITS facilities (emergency telephones at stations, public announcement and security cameras at larger stations, and parking management systems and VMS at PNRs) and overall project management. RTD ROW (already acquired) and purchase Central Platte Valley Metro District ROW. Separate ROW. 1 5 $4.7 $200.0 $268.5 Purchase private ROW. Separate ROW. $50.0 $209.2 $255.9 Purchase rail yards for Gold Line & US-36 Rail for better access to DUS. $197.2 $311.3 $384.3 Totals 60 15 31 20,010 1,377 2 (750) 6 (-924) 135 34.9 137.1 $504 $3,595 $4,717 Notes: 1. The number of at-grade crossings are "new" for the rapid transit system and include construction/reconstruction costs to meet passenger safety requirements. Most of the US-36 Rail, North Metro, East and Gold Line corridor crossings currently exist for freight rail operations. 2. Capital costs includes the rights-of-way (ROW) costs. 3. The East Corridor shares stations with the I-225 Corridor and with the Central Corridor Extension where commuter rail and light rail meet. 4. The US-36 Rail, East Corridor and Central Corridor extension each have one station with the site to be determined. 5. DUS relocates LRT station to underground and uses AMTRACK station for commuter rail Source DRCOG summarized data from RTD FasTracks submittal, as revised 2-2-2004

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multiple units (DMU) could be used. RTD has costed DMUs for the FasTracks Plan as they are costlier and, thus, provide a more conservative cost estimate. [See Chapter V, Rapid Transit Technology.] Light Rail Corridors Light rail transit refers to electric-powered lighter weight passenger rail cars operating singly or in trains. Two entirely new corridors - the West and the Gold Line, and extensions of four corridors--i-225, I-25, Southwest, and Central--are proposed. All lines are double track. Improvements will be made in the existing Central and Southwest corridors, and the Southeast Corridor (currently under construction). Existing stations in these corridors will be upgraded to accept four-car trains 3. Pedestrian and bicycle enhancements will also be provided in the southeast corridor. A new station would be added at Bates Avenue in the southwest corridor if a transit-oriented development occurs. Denver Union Station Improvements at the Denver Union Station (DUS), consistent with the draft Denver Union Station Master Plan, are included to the extent the FasTracks funding provided ($200 million) will allow. At minimum, this will include the construction of the belowgrade light rail transit station and railyard track improvement. Full implementation of DUS improvements for underground passenger rail and regional buses will most likely require additional funding. Bus Service Improvements By 2025, RTD will provide an additional 700,000 annual bus service hours, an increase of 24 percent. RTD will enhance its service as follows: Bus feeder service to rapid transit - the local bus network will be reconfigured to better serve the rapid transit stations. New suburb-to-suburb bus service - connections between major employment areas will be provided designed around FastConnects. FastConnects - a set of timed transfer locations will be provided (see page 51). Other Three new maintenance facilities will be provided, one for LRT, one for commuter rail vehicles, and one for buses. Intelligent Transportation System applications will be included in each corridor. A grade separation of 23rd Street/Consolidated Mainline for both the Gold Line and US-36 rail will be constructed. 3 Five stations along Welton through the Five Points neighborhood will remain as three-car stations. 11

Funding for a central business district (CBD) circulator in the Denver Central Corridor is included in FasTracks, but the specifics of the service to be provided depends on the outcome of the Downtown Multimodal Access Plan (DMAP), and agreement by Denver with respect to the operational characteristics of the circulator. Summary The exact nature of the improvements in many of the corridors have yet to be completely defined, as they are dependant on future actions such as: selection of commuter rail technology - locomotive-hauled coaches or diesel multiple units availability of funding for Bus Rapid Transit on US-36 in addition to FasTracks funding results of Environmental Impact Statements result of Denver DMAP s study Changes to the corridor improvements identified in FasTracks should be expected in the future as they are better defined. 12

III. CONSISTENCY WITH METRO VISION PLAN Metro Vision Metro Vision is the long-range, comprehensive growth strategy for the Denver region. It provides broad policy direction, as well as specific implementation strategies, to guide land development activity and transportation investment at the regional level, and to ensure environmental quality. Metro Vision 2020 was originally developed and adopted by DRCOG in 1997. The plan is currently being updated, extending its time horizon to 2030. The relevant primary features of the Metro Vision plan are: (1) the establishment of an urban growth boundary, (2) the identification of strategic activity areas or urban forms within the boundary, and (3) the development of a balanced, multimodal transportation system. Other elements of the plan address freestanding communities, environmental quality and open space. To assure consistency with all DRCOG policies, FasTracks was evaluated with respect to Metro Vision. Extent of Development The Urban Growth Boundary/Area (UGB/A) is intended to manage development on the perimeter of the urban area to minimize the use of raw land and the corresponding need for additional expensive infrastructure. Rapid transit supports this principle by stimulating higher density development at station locations and elsewhere along the transit corridors, thereby reducing the need for development at the region s periphery. All of the proposed transit stations are within the current UGB/A. However, the 160th station on the North Metro Corridor is located at the edge of the boundary (see Figure 2). The boundary at this location may need to be adjusted so that the station and an appropriate amount of surrounding area can be properly included. This type of adjustment is permitted under the Metro Vision flexibility provisions previously adopted by the DRCOG Board, which allow allocated growth to be moved from one area to another without affecting the overall allocation. Even with this adjustment, other questions can be raised concerning the possibility that this and other stations located near the perimeter of the urban area could encourage development activity beyond the growth boundary. This situation exists in particular with the proposed stations at Niwot on the US-36 Corridor, 160th on the North Metro Corridor, and Ridgegate on the Southeast Corridor. Because improved accessibility can lead to increased pressure for urban type development, DRCOG analyzed the extent of the geographic area within which residents could commute by any mode to central Denver within 45 minutes during peak periods in 2025 both with and without FasTracks. As expected, with FasTracks the extent of this geographic area increases from 377 to 532 square miles. Only a small 13

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Figure 2 FasTracks Relationship to Urban Growth Boundary & Urban Forms FasTracks stations (approximate locations) FasTracks stations where RTD has identified major development/redevelopment opportunities (>10 acres) Metro Vision regional highway system FasTracks rapid transit corridors (new) Rapid transit corridors (existing/under construction) Proposed Urban Forms served by FasTracks stations Other proposed Urban Forms 2030 Urban Growth Boundary/Area (UGB/A) 1999 existing parks & open space 0 5 10 Miles Source: DRCOG summary of RTD data EF: April 1, 2004

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portion of this geographic area (two square miles) is beyond the established 750 square mile UGB/A 4. This area is not near any of the three stations of concern identified above. It is located in Boulder County, which has various open land protections already in place to manage growth in this area. Urban Forms Urban forms are compact, mixed-use activity areas, with sufficient densities to support cost-effective transit service. They are also intended to absorb a significant amount of the population and employment growth that is anticipated to occur within the region through 2030. Transit service, especially fixed-guideway rapid transit, encourages higher density development and has an important influence on the overall success of an urban form. The proposed FasTracks rapid transit improvements will directly serve 18 of the proposed urban forms currently identified by DRCOG. Of these 18 forms, 16 are mixeduse Urban Centers, and two are employment-based Activity Centers. The FasTracks stations and their spatial relationship to the identified urban forms are shown on Figure 2. Other Development/Redevelopment The FasTracks Plan also cites examples of various local jurisdictions and private developers that are preparing major development plans (larger than 10 acres) in areas surrounding proposed station locations in anticipation of transit being provided in the future. There are 18 such major development opportunities identified in FasTracks, 12 of which are associated with the urban forms that have been identified by local governments for inclusion in the updated Metro Vision Plan. The associated transit stations are identified specifically on Figure 2. It is reasonable to assume that the FasTracks Plan will stimulate development and redevelopment activity at numerous other station locations throughout the region. Specifically, 39 of the 55 5 total FasTracks stations are located within the existing urbanized area, where redevelopment can generally be expected to occur. The remaining stations are in currently undeveloped areas, but within the established Urban Growth Boundary/Area, where new development can be expected to occur. RTD and affected local governments should work together to identify the development opportunities and prepare the necessary plans and implementation measures. 4 For this analysis, the non-urban cutouts shown on the map are considered to be part of the larger, generally contiguous UGB/A. 5 Total station count (55) includes three stations with undetermined locations (not shown on Figure 2). Does not include five BRT stations. 17

Multimodal Transportation The FasTracks corridors are consistent with the transportation principles and policies of the current Metro Vision 2020 Plan. The FasTracks Plan includes four corridor sections that were not identified in the Metro Vision 2020 Plan: Longmont to Boulder commuter rail service North Metro commuter rail north of 120 th to 160 th (SH-7) Southeast LRT extension to Lone Tree Southwest LRT extension to Lucent Boulevard There are also three rapid transit corridors identified in the Metro Vision 2020 Plan that were not included in the FasTracks Plan. These corridors are conceptual and have not had any associated studies conducted since Metro Vision was adopted in 1997: Wadsworth Boulevard Corridor (Bowles Avenue to US-36) Hampden Avenue Corridor (Wadsworth to Southwest LRT) Alameda/Speer Corridor (Downtown Civic Center to Buckley Road) All of the rapid transit components of the FasTracks Plan are included in the draft for review networks presently being considered for the updated Metro Vision 2030 Plan. This plan update is scheduled to be considered by the DRCOG Board of Directors in late 2004. The current Fiscally Constrained Metro Vision 2025 Interim RTP (2025 Interim RTP) identifies only two additional rapid transit corridors (West and East) beyond the Southeast Corridor. This was based on funding estimates that were made in 2001. New estimates for the Fiscally Constrained 2030 Element of the Metro Vision 2030 Plan imply that base funding is insufficient to construct any new corridors. Therefore, two alternative 2030 rapid transit scenarios are being evaluated for the Fiscally Constrained 2030 Element: one alternative with the FasTracks Plan and a second alternative with no additional corridors beyond current construction. If a FasTracks funding initiative is presented to the public, and the initiative passes, the components could be included in the Fiscally Constrained Element. Major highway improvement projects have been proposed that will directly affect the construction of the FasTracks corridors. These highway projects range from long-range conceptual ideas to designed improvements that have completed the environmental process and have been programmed in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). Significant cooperation and coordination between RTD and CDOT will need to occur as the following highway projects are implemented. US-36 Corridor: Improvement of the McCaslin Boulevard interchange is included in the 2025 Interim RTP. An EIS is currently underway. Additional US-36 major investment study road improvements, including interchange improvements at Wadsworth Boulevard, are being considered for inclusion in the draft for review Metro Vision 2030 network. 18

I-225 Corridor: Widening of I-225 to six through-lanes was programmed in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and received environmental clearances. The Finding of No Significant Impact document notes that space for future widening and a future transit envelope will be preserved in the median. Funding reductions have forced this project to not be fully funded in the current TIP. Further widening of I-225 to eight through-lanes was identified in the I-225 major investment study, and is included in the draft for review Metro Vision 2030 network. Reconstruction and reconfiguration of the Colfax Avenue/I-225 Interchange is included in the Metro Vision 2020 Plan. Draft environmental documents have been prepared. Southwest Extension: Widening of C-470 to six or eight lanes and the reconstruction and reconfiguration of the interchange of Santa Fe Drive and C-470 (Environmental Assessment ongoing) are included in the draft for review Metro Vision 2030 network. West Corridor Replacement of the Federal Boulevard bridge over the rail line is partially programmed in the 2005-2010 TIP. Reconstruction of the Simms/Union at US-6 interchange is partially programmed in the 2005-2010 TIP. Reconstruction of the US-6/I-70 interchange is included in the draft for review Metro Vision 2030 network. Gold Line Grade separation of the rail line and Grandview Avenue from Wadsworth Boulevard (partially programmed in the Transportation Improvement Program). Southeast Corridor I-25 and Ridgegate Interchange (CDOT 1601 Interchange Studies approved; included in a revised Record of Decision). Widening of I-25 from C-470 to Castle Rock in Douglas County is a CDOT Strategic Priority (7th Pot) project identified in the 2025 Interim RTP (a revised Record of Decision has been issued). East Corridor Widening of Peña Boulevard. Smaller scale highway projects and operational projects associated with specific station locations will be defined during the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) processes for each corridor. The EISs will also define specific non-motorized (bicycle and pedestrian) projects that will provide access to transit stations and mitigate safety concerns. Summary The FasTracks Plan is consistent with the current Metro Vision 2020 Plan, including its transportation element. It could be incorporated into the Metro Vision 2030 Plan 19

The FasTracks Plan is likely to provide substantial community benefits and will be helpful in achieving the goals of Metro Vision. Efforts should be made by the responsible local governments to encourage compact mixed-use transit-oriented development around all stations. This is especially important with respect to outlying stations so that development isn t stimulated beyond the growth boundary. Significant cooperation and coordination will be necessary as both transit and highway projects are implemented. (A Master Intergovernmental Agreement between CDOT and RTD to accomplish this is expected to be executed shortly.) 20

IV. TRAVEL AND ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS Corridor Effects The travel effects of FasTracks occur primarily within corridors and at peak travel times. Tables 2 and 3 display travel time and speed comparisons. Table 2 indicates significant time and speed advantages of FasTracks. Table 2 FasTracks Mobility Measures by Corridor in 2025* Peak Hour Travel Time to Downtown Denver with FasTracks (in minutes) Peak Hour Average Operating Speeds (miles per hour) Drive Alone Train/Transit Drive Alone Train/Transit US-36 Rail Corridor from Longmont 133 61 14.9 41.7 North Metro from 160th Ave. 112 41 11.4 37.0 East Corridor from DIA 48 39 30.1 43.8 I-225 Corridor from Aurora C. Center 76 40 20.5 22.6 SE Extension from Ridgegate PW 96 43 12.1 27.1 SW Extension from Lucent/Plaza 97 31 9.5 30.8 West Corridor from Jeffco Gov. Ctr. 57 39 17.1 24.8 Gold Line from Ward Road 55 31 13.0 26.6 Central Corridor n/a n/a n/a n/a * Drive-alone time and speeds are for in-vehicle segment of trip. Train/transit includes transfer time but not walk access or drive access time. Source: RTD summary of regional travel model information. Table 3 compares peak hour drive-alone vehicle speeds by corridor with and without FasTracks. FasTracks impact on highway speeds varies from no impacts in four corridors, a one-mile-per-hour increase in four corridors, and a three-mile-per-hour increase in one corridor. Speeds on parallel arterials are likely to increase. It should be noted that these speeds are based on normal conditions without impacts from highway crashes or other incidents such as breakdowns or bad weather. A key benefit of rail transit is the reliability of travel time. For example, current LRT service operates at 99 percent on-time reliability. In contrast, on -street local bus service operates at 90 percent on-time reliability. Roadway stalls and crashes and adverse weather conditions can routinely cause a significant increase in travel times for cars and buses. 21

Table 3 2025 Peak Drive-Alone Automobile Operating Speeds (miles per hour) Corridor Origin Destination Without FasTracks With FasTracks US-36 (Rail) Longmont Denver Union Station 15 15 North Metro 160th Denver Union Station 11 11 East DIA Denver Union Station 29 30 I-225 Peoria & Smith Nine Mile 33 36 Southeast Ridgegate Parkway 16th & California 12 12 Southwest C-470 & Lucent 16th & California 10 10 West JeffCo Govt. Ctr. Denver Union Station 16 17 Gold Line Ward Road Denver Union Station 12 13 Central 40th &40th 30th & Downing 14 15 Source: RTD summary of regional travel model. Corridor Rapid Transit Ridership RTD estimated corridor rapid transit ridership is shown in Table 4. The low end of the range reflects results from the regionally approved MinUTP model. This model was recalibrated to take into account the actual boardings achieved on the Southwest corridor, which opened in 2000. The upper end was established by RTD through surveys that attempted to measure latent demand in the Southwest corridor. Latent demand does exist as the parking lots are full early in the day and boardings would be higher if sufficient parking were available. The survey indicates that latent demand is about 17 percent of current ridership. The factor of 17 percent was then used by RTD to establish the upper end of the ridership range. Table 4 Estimated 2025 Corridor Ridership Corridor Technology Ridership 2025 US-36 Commuter Rail 8,600-10,100 (rail) 16,900 (BRT)* North Metro Commuter Rail 10,200-11,900 East Commuter Rail 30,400-35,600 I-225 Light Rail 15,200-17,800 Southeast (1) Light Rail 51,100-59,800 Southwest (2) Light Rail 20,200-23,600 West Light Rail 31,200-36,500 Gold Line Light Rail 16,300-19,100 Central & CPV (3) Light Rail 26,300-30,800 *Only Phase 1 bus improvements included in FasTracks. (1) Total corridor estimate. Ridgegate to Lincoln segment: 3,100 to 3,600 in year 2025. (2)Total corridor estimate. C-470 & Lucent segment: 3,400-4,000 (3) Total corridor estimate. 40th & 40th to 30th & Downing segment: 2,100-2,500 riders/day Source: RTD summary of regional travel model results for low end of range, plus 17 percent for latent demand for high end of range. East Corridor ridership based on 2001 transit trips to DIA, with growth factors from regional travel model. 22

The corridor transit mode shares during the peak hour are shown in the following table. Table 5 Transit Percent Share of All Trips by Corridor (bus and rail in peak direction/hour at most congested point) 2025 With 2001 FasTracks US-36 Corridor 16% 19% North Metro 12% 18% East Corridor 10% 22% I-225 Corridor 9% 18% Southeast Corridor 12% 27% Southwest Corridor 19% 21% West Corridor 7% 26% Gold Line 6% 25% Source: RTD based on regional travel model. Regional Travel Effects With FasTracks, about 474,000 fewer vehicle miles would be driven per weekday in 2025 in the Denver region (95,066,000 versus 95,540,000). As noted in Table 3, because of the reduction in vehicle miles driven, highways adjacent to the rapid transit corridors will operate slightly faster during peak periods, generally improving overall operating speeds by one to three miles per hour. Total bus and rail transit ridership 6 in 2025 with the FasTracks Plan is estimated to be 357,000 7 trips per day. This exceeds the without FasTracks Plan ridership of approximately 285,000 by 72,000 trips per day. The increase in trips is about evenly split between work and non-work trips. About 80 percent of the increase will be for non- CBD trips, reflecting the FasTracks Plan emphasis on providing increased rapid transit and bus service throughout the region. It should be noted that the system ridership estimates with the FasTracks Plan include trips on buses using the US-36 BRT/HOV system. As previously mentioned, FasTracks does not fully fund the construction of BRT/HOV lanes on US-36. Instead, bus service would continue in the existing HOV lanes and in mixed flow with improved travel times through Phase 1 improvements. If full BRT/HOV were not implemented, system ridership would be somewhat less than the values presented. 6 This section provides ridership data for the entire RTD fixed-route transit system, including both rail and bus trips, not just FasTracks. Ridership is defined as individual linked transit trips. For example, an endto-end trip using a bus, a train, and the Mall Shuttle would count as one trip. 7 322,400 represents regional model figures. 357,100 includes latent demand. See Rapid Transit Corridor Ridership. 23

As part of DRCOG s reasonableness checking of the FasTracks demand forecasts, DRCOG evaluated the level of transit demand in other cities across the country to compare the predicted boardings per person in the region under FasTracks to those in other cities. Boardings per person per year were calculated for several cities, for the transit service areas of the providers. Under the FasTracks build scenario, travel modeling results estimate that transit will attract an average of 47 boardings per person per year for persons within the RTD service area. Examples of similar figures in other cities (for the year 2002) are shown in Table 6. Table 6 2002 Boardings Per Person Per Year City Transit Service Area Seattle 55 Minneapolis 37 Miami 44 Portland 80 Source: Federal Transit Administration s National Transit Database information. These figures suggest that the overall system ridership forecasts prepared as part of the FasTracks submittal are not inconsistent with transit demand in other comparable cities. Total system mode share--the percentage of total trips on transit--during the peak hour in 2025 is estimated to be about 4.1 percent and about 2.7 percent with and without FasTracks, respectively. The total daily system mode share is about 2.85 percent and about 2.27 percent with and without FasTracks, respectively. As discussed in the previous section, where RTD is proposing major transit improvements in FasTracks, corridor mode share is considerably higher, ranging from 18 to 27 percent. Accessibility FasTracks will improve employment accessibility region-wide. By 2025, there will be about 548,000 jobs located within walking distance (one-half mile) of a rapid transit station. This is about 26 percent of all jobs. In addition, about 12 percent of all households will be within walking distance of regional transportation, and about 86 percent of all households will be within a five-mile drive of a rapid transit park-n-ride lot. The FasTracks Plan will provide increased accessibility to the Denver central business district. The estimated number of residents living within a 45-minute transit trip from Denver Union Station is expected to increase from 535,000 to 1,015,000 with the implementation of FasTracks. This will be an important factor not only for daily commuters but also for people attending special events in the downtown Denver area. 24

Low-Income, Minority, and Disabled Person Accessibility About 24,000 low-income persons and 192,000 minority persons currently live within one mile of stations that would be constructed or expanded as part of the FasTracks Plan, based on 2000 U. S. Census data. Table 7 shows the number of low-income or minority persons living within one mile of new or expanded stations within each corridor. Table 7 Low-Income or Minority Persons in 2000 Living Within One Mile of FasTracks New or Expanded Transit Stations Low Income Persons Minority Persons US-36 Corridor 2,470 17,070 North Metro 1,870 21,450 East Corridor 920 15,720 I-225 Corridor 3,780 36,220 Southeast Corridor 40 440 Southwest Corridor 970 3,420 West Corridor 9,570 68,600 Gold Line 3,580 23,940 Central Corridor 1,920 19,350 Source: DRCOG compilation of US Census data reported in RTD FasTracks Plan. Transit stations throughout the region will be located near major job sites that employ large numbers of lower income workers. Low-income and minority persons will have convenient access to many more jobs if FasTracks is completed. Table 8 provides examples of improved access for selected areas having high concentrations of lowincome and minority persons. Table 8 Number of Jobs Within a 45-Minute Transit Trip in 2025 (Includes walk and wait time and all transit modes) Area Without FasTracks With FasTracks Five Points 251,000 299,000 Alameda/Federal 187,000 312,000 Peoria/Colfax 85,000 189,000 Commerce City 45,000 89,000 Source: DRCOG summary of regional travel model information. RTD is planning to accommodate disabled and special need rail passengers with the same type of single door high block boarding platforms that are used at the existing stations. Low-floor level rail vehicles and associated station configurations to permit stepless entry are not planned to be used. RTD reports that it has not had problems with the less costly high block platforms. 25

Service to Older Adults The FasTracks Plan would give older adults improved access to typical destinations for older adults such as health facilities (e.g. Fitzsimons Campus, Sky Ridge Medical Center), cultural venues (e.g. Pepsi Center, Denver Center for the Performing Arts), major government facilities and libraries (e.g. Aurora, Denver, Jefferson County), and other key locations (e.g. Denver International Airport). Transit-oriented developments around stations can provide excellent housing opportunities with easy accessibility to rail transit. Shopping, entertainment, and service uses will congregate around stations providing more travel opportunities via rail or via short walks around the transit oriented development. Many older adults also like the predictability and real or perceived comfort of rail vehicles versus buses. Environmental Air quality is the primary regional-level environmental concern. In 2002, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) declared the Denver region in attainment of all federal health standards (carbon monoxide, ozone, and small particulates called PM 10 ). During the summer of 2003, the area violated a new, stricter standard developed for ozone. DRCOG requested the assistance of staff members from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment s Air Pollution Control Division (APCD), the Regional Air Quality Council (RAQC), and RTD in estimating the various air pollution impacts. Table 9 summarizes these estimates. Table 9 Change in 2025 Air Pollution Emissions With FasTracks (tons/day) Ozone Carbon Particulates Volatile Organic Nitrogen Oxides Monoxide (PM 10 ) Compounds General Traffic -5.62-0.40-0.29-0.15 Transit Diesel Bus +0.03 +0.02 +0.01 +0.05 Light Rail +0.02 0.00 0.00 +0.28 Diesel Commuter Rail +0.16 +0.02 +0.04 +0.67 Transit Subtotal +0.21 +0.04 +0.05 +1.00 Total -5.41-0.36-0.24 0.85 Source: APCD, DRCOG, RAQC, RTD The general traffic emissions reductions are the result of a decrease in vehicle miles traveled of about 474,000 miles per day. Transit vehicle emissions partially offset some of these emissions reductions. Commuter rail emissions were based on EPA Tier 2 rail emission rates. Light rail emissions involved estimating pollution generated at power 26

plants. Estimates of these emissions and their impact vary by type of fuel used and where the power is generated. The numbers in Table 9 are based on power generated at the Cherokee power plant. The most significant of the reductions is in PM 10, where a decrease in emissions from general traffic of 0.40 tons per day, partially offset by transit emissions of 0.04 tons per day, results in an overall reduction of 0.36 tons per day. This reduction would help in meeting the emissions budget of 51 tons per day. Note that in the latest conformity finding, PM 10 emissions were projected to be 50.2 tons per day in the year 2025. Additional increases in emission between 2025 and 2030 would be partially offset by FasTracks. Both carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds (VOC) would be reduced slightly by the FasTracks proposal. The only overall emissions increase is for nitrogen oxides (NO x ), where the decrease in private vehicle emissions is negated by the transit vehicle emissions and total emissions increase by about 0.85 tons per day. This increase is a fraction of one percent of the NO x generated in the region each day. The relationship between NO x and ozone is complex. VOC and NO x are the primary precursors of ozone. Depending upon the mixture of VOC and NO x and atmospheric conditions, NO x can increase ozone, and in other cases it decreases ozone. Considering the small increase and the geographic area where it is being generated, the increase should not negatively impact the region s ability to meet the new ozone standard. Other non-air quality environmental factors include noise and vibration. These are not regional-level factors. Mitigation plans for these factors are developed during corridorlevel environmental studies. Summary By 2025, peak hour travel times will be considerably shorter by rapid transit than by automobile in the FasTracks corridors. Expected FasTracks boardings are consistent with other metropolitan areas. The rapid transit corridor patronage estimates are reasonable. They are based on the Southwest corridor operating experience. Transit accessibility to jobs, shopping, and services for low-income, minority, and/or elderly residents will greatly improve. Overall, air quality benefits would be small. The most significant would be a reduction in carbon monoxide and particulates. Increased nitrogen oxide emissions, primarily from diesel commuter rail vehicles, will occur. However, they are not expected to impact the region s ability to meet ozone standards. 27

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V. RAPID TRANSIT TECHNOLOGY Appropriateness of Corridor Technology RTD is proposing three rapid transit technologies in the FasTracks Plan: Bus Rapid Transit, Commuter Rail, and Light Rail Transit of the type currently operating in the Denver region. Bus Rapid Transit While not fully provided for in FasTracks, bus rapid transit is ultimately desired for the US-36 corridor. This mode would build upon the current HOV lanes on I-25 and US-36 by continuing the provision of protected separate right-of-way along US-36 to Table Mesa Drive in Boulder. This extended HOV lane would allow the operation of buses at high speeds, providing a rapid transit experience. As such, it is an appropriate technology. The I-25 and the current barrier-separated US-36 sections of the current Bus/HOV lanes are expected to be converted to High-Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes in the near future. To assure compatible operation with a Bus Rapid Transit system, CDOT is committed to the management of the HOT lanes so as not to delay bus operations. Commuter Rail Commuter rail is commonly associated with longer corridors, regional service, and with longer station spacing, on the average of three to five miles. Diesel Commuter Rail provides for higher operating speeds between widely spaced stations but its acceleration/deceleration is relatively slow. Commuter Rail service was selected through major investment studies in the US-36, North Metro, and East Corridors as the most appropriate technology for these longer corridors where high-speed operation is required. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)-compliant vehicles operating on existing freight railroad right-of-way are proposed. FRA-compliant vehicles could include either selfpropelled Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) and conventional locomotive-hauled coach (LHC) rail vehicles. The initial capital cost of DMU or LHC vehicles is comparable. As LHC is currently used in all regular commuter rail service in the United States, there is little technological risk associated with implementing LHC service. Self-propelled DMU service is comparatively new in the United States. There is only one DMU manufacturer whose vehicles are currently undergoing federal testing and certification. The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority has put FRA-compliant DMU vehicles into revenue service on a trial basis. As such, there is an additional risk as these vehicles have not been in long-term passenger service elsewhere. 29

Light Rail Transit (LRT) Light rail transit is commonly associated with urban service in shorter corridors with shorter station spacing (one mile +/-). Light rail electric-powered vehicles have excellent acceleration and deceleration characteristics that minimize delay associated with frequent stops, but have a lower top speed than commuter rail. FasTracks extends light rail transit in the Southwest, Southeast, and Central corridors, and light rail transit was selected as the preferred mode in the I-225 and Gold Line major investment studies, and the West Corridor environmental impact statement due to the service characteristics described above. Technology Relationships FasTracks proposes grouping the commuter rail technology to the north (US-36, North Metro, and East Corridors), with LRT technology to the south (I-225, Southeast and Southwest extensions, West, Gold Line, and Central corridors). LRT and commuter rail cannot share trackage as the vehicles are built to different safety standards. In addition, LRT can run on a lighter track than commuter rail. The geographic grouping of technologies therefore is useful in regard to location of maintenance facilities and sharing of vehicle use between corridors. The use of two non-compatible rail technologies decreases the potential for interlining 8 of through-services between corridors. The FasTracks Plan includes the physical infrastructure to allow interlining among all the light rail transit lines, and between all the commuter rail lines, but the service plan only includes one instance of interlining where travelers between the West and Gold Lines do not have to transfer. No interlining is proposed for the commuter rail lines. Stations and Station Spacing Denver Union Station will be the central hub for most of the bus/hov, commuter rail and light rail services. The intent is to expedite and facilitate passenger transfers between lines and modes of transportation. Passengers will be able to transfer among the three modes at the Denver Union Station. The ability to change modes and lines quickly mitigates the lack of significant interlining among the various modes and within the various modes. Station spacing is an important consideration. As noted earlier, LRT is commonly associated with urban services having short station spacing (about one station per mile), and commuter rail is commonly associated with regional service having longer 8 Interlining describes the ability for a mode operating in one corridor or line to continuously operate in another corridor or line. 30

station spacing (about 3 to 5 miles between stations). Station spacing in the FasTracks corridors is indicated in Table 10. Table 10 FasTracks Rail Station Spacing Station Spacing Technology (stations/miles) Commuter Rail US-36 5.4 North Metro 2.3 East 4.7 Light Rail I-225 1.5 Southeast 1.3 Southwest 1.6 West 1.1 Gold 1.6 Central/CPV 0.5 Source: DRCOG calculation from RTD FasTracks submittal 3/9/2004. The North Metro corridor station spacing is short for efficient high-speed commuter rail operation. The only LRT corridor that has station spacing less than one mile is the Central Corridor, whose function is to improve system continuity and distribution to and from the CBD, not to provide independent service. Comments were made at the public hearing suggesting additional stations along the East Corridor. The addition of these stops, depending on the number, could adversely affect the speed and operating efficiency of the commuter rail operation. Operations Figure 3 shows the FasTracks 2025 peak hour rail-operating plan including the frequency of service (trains per hour). RTD analyzed the ability of the system components to accommodate demand. Maximum line loads and proposed capacities (seated and standees) were compared to determine if the proposed service plan and recommended train consists would meet estimated demand. 31